The life expectancy after a spinal cord injury can range from 40 years to 65 years depending on the persons age and the severity of the spinal cord injury.
A complete spinal cord injury where there is total loss of motor and sensory function below the level of the spinal cord injury often leads to a greater reduction in a persons life expectancy when compared to incomplete spinal cord injuries.
And spinal cord injuries that are higher up in the spinal cord such as the cervical spine can result in a shorter life expectancy than the ones lower down such as in the thoracic or lumbar region.
And younger people at the time of the spinal cord injury might experience a greater reduction in their life expectancy due to the longer period of living with the spinal cord injury as well as it's associated complications.
And people with spinal cord injuries that require a ventilator to breathe after the spinal cord injury have a significantly reduced life expectancy and any existing health issues such a heart problems or diabetes etc can also have a shorter life expectancy with a spinal cord injury.
The most serious spinal injury is the complete injury to your cervical spine, especially at the C1 or C2 level, which can lead to tetraplegia or quadriplegia, which is paralysis of all 4 limbs and your torso.
These types of spinal injuries often affect your ability to breathe independently and can be fatal.
A complete spinal injury means there is no feeling or movement below the level of the injury and your cervical spine is locate din your neck and is closest to your brain, and so injuries in these locations can disrupt signals to a large portion of your body.
Your C1 and C2 vertebrae are also at the very top of your spinal cord and any injuries to this area also often result in paralysis of all 4 limbs and your torso.
Having cervical spine injuries, especially cervical spine injuries that affect the C4 level and above can impact your diaphragm, which is essential for breathing, and can potentially require mechanical ventilation.
You can live with a damaged spinal cord although it can sometimes result in paralysis in severe cases or a limited range of movement and possible loss of bladder and bowel control depending on the severity of the spinal cord damage.
When your spinal cord is damaged it can result in loss of movement, loss of sensation and even changes in your bodily functions below the level of the spinal cord injury.
The exact severity and extent of the effects of the spinal cord damage or spinal cord injury will depend on the severity and location of the spinal cord damage or spinal cord injury.
More severe injuries to the spinal cord can result in complete loss of movement and function and paralysis and other less serious cases may just result in partial loss of sensation and you may retain some degree of motor control and sensation.
What would happen if you were to break your L1 vertebrae are it could lead to potential loss of bowel control, loss of bladder control, potential paraplegia and even impaired leg function and impaired hip function.
The severity of the effects of breaking your L1 vertebrae also depends on whether the spinal cord itself were damaged or not.
Any damage to the spinal cord at the L1 level can result in paraplegia, which means paralysis or weakness in your lower body, including your hips and legs and injuries to your L1 region can also affect the nerves that control your bladder and bowel function and can lead to incontinence or difficulty with elimination and numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hips and legs as well as weakness or paralysis in these areas can also occur with breakage of the L1 vertebrae.
A fracture to the L1 vertebra is also often painful and the pain can be severe and persistent and the fracture can also alter your spine's mechanics and potentially even result in increased curvature of your spine also called kyphosis and difficulty in standing upright.
You can walk with a broken L1 vertebrae as long as the fracture didn't damage your spinal cord enough to make you paralyzed.
If the fracture damaged the spinal cord enough to make you paralyzed then you won't be able to walk with the broken L1 vertebrae.
As long as the fracture to the L1 vertebrae didn't damage the spinal cord enough to make you paralyzed you can often walk with a broken L1 vertebrae.
Fractures of the L1 vertebrae or vertebra can range from minor compression fractures to more serious burst fractures.
If your spinal cord or nerves are not impacted significantly you may still be able to walk, although walking can be painful.
The L1 vertebrae is the first vertebra that is in the lumbar spine, and is located in your lower back.
The L1 vertebrae is also known as the lumbar vertebra 1.
L1 vertebrae is situated below your thoracic spine (T12 vertebra) and above your L2 vertebra.
Your lumbar vertebrae, known as L1 to L5, are the largest of your entire spine. Your lumbar spine is located below your 12 chest (thoracic).
The L1 vertebrae is a cylindrical shaped bone with a large, rectangular vertebral body which supports weight.
It also has two transverse processes which extend sideways and a spinous process which also projects backwards.
And it also has superior and also inferior articular processes which form joints with the adjacent vertebrae.
The function of your L1 vertebra provide structural support for the lower back and helps to absorb shock and allows for movement, like bending and twisting and it also protects your spinal cords that pass through your lumbar spine.
Your L1 vertebra is a common site for spinal injuries, like fractures and dislocations and any damage to the L1 vertebra can affect your mobility, sensation and even bowel and bladder function.